NFL’s Decision on ‘End Racism’ Messages for 2026 Is Now Confirmed

The NFL will continue allowing teams to use "End Racism" messages during the 2026 season. The move follows last year's Super Bowl, where "Choose Love" appeared instead, sparking questions about the future of the message.

The story goes back further. Colin Kaepernick 's 2016 protest pushed social justice into the center of the NFL debate. Ten years later, social justice issues remain part of the NFL conversation.

NFL Continues Commitment to Social Justice

The NFL will bring the "End Racism" message back to the field during the 2026 season. Teams can also use "Stop Hate," "Choose Love," and "Inspire Change" on the field, while players will have similar options for their helmet decals.

The message has been part of the NFL's social justice efforts since 2020. That year, the league began placing messages such as "End Racism" and "It Takes All of Us" in end zones. Players were also allowed to wear approved social justice messages on their helmets.

The NFL's Inspire Change initiative, launched in 2019, also became more visible during this period. The league continued working with players and teams on social justice programs and messages in the years that followed. "End Racism" was still available during the 2025 season, but it was not used at Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025, in New Orleans. Instead, "Choose Love" appeared in one end zone, while "It Takes All of Us" was used in the other.

That change drew attention because "End Racism" had been closely associated with the NFL's on-field messaging since 2020. Its absence from the Super Bowl, however, did not mean the league had dropped the phrase altogether.

NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility Anna Isaacson explained the league's position, saying , "We're working hand-in-hand with players, and alongside our clubs, to amplify player voices and underscore what is most important to them. For decades, the NFL and its players have been a unifying force in American culture and society that brings people of all cultures and backgrounds together to enjoy America's most popular sport. This is an honor and responsibility that the league takes seriously, which is why we actively invest in off-field programs and on-field initiatives that promote unity."

"Choose Love" has also become a regular part of the NFL's messaging. The phrase gained wider attention after the Buffalo Bills began using it following the May 14, 2022, mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo. Isaacson also spoke about the continued use of "Choose Love," saying, "Choose Love continues to resonate across the league. It has become a unifying message of healing and hope, one that many players continue to wear voluntarily on helmet decals."

The decision keeps "End Racism" among the social messages available to NFL teams in 2026.